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Tess and Tilly #8

The Christmas Clause

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If you love small towns, endearing relationships, food, animals, and a touch of murder, you will love this cozy mystery series.

With just two weeks until the highly anticipated Christmas on Main event, the tiny town of White Eagle Montana is all decked out for the season. With the annual tree lighting just around the corner, Tess and Tony are busy with their own holiday preparations, until someone close to Tess is shot and killed in front of her own home.

Tess jumps in to help Mike track down the killer, believing the gunman to have been connected to the mystery surrounding her own father’s disappearance. Her theory seems plausible, and even probable, until Santa is found dead an hour before the annual Santa parade, messing up Tess’s theory and complicating things even further.

159 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 9, 2019

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About the author

Kathi Daley

744 books1,790 followers
Kathi lives with her husband, kids, grandkids, and dogs in beautiful Lake Tahoe. When she isn't writing, Kathi likes to read (preferably at the beach or by the fire), cook (preferably something with chocolate or cheese,) and garden (planting and planning not weeding). She also enjoys spending time on the water when she's not hiking, biking, or snowshoeing, the miles of desolate trails surrounding her home.
Kathi uses the mountain setting in which she lives, along with the animals (wild and domestic) that share her home, as inspiration for her cozy mysteries.

Join me on Facebook at Kathi Daley Books (www.facebook.com/kathidaleybooks) for updates on my books, photos of life in Lake Tahoe, recipes, contests, and giveaways. For weekly updates and contests sign up for The Daley Weekly Newsletter (http://eepurl.com/NRPDf).



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5 stars
985 (65%)
4 stars
364 (24%)
3 stars
116 (7%)
2 stars
18 (1%)
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16 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
Profile Image for Patrizia.
2,040 reviews43 followers
December 8, 2019
Altra veloce lettura che ho divorato nella speranza di scoprire qualcosa in più sul misterioso padre della protagonista.
Profile Image for Taryn.
1,142 reviews31 followers
December 9, 2019
Tess is excited for the upcoming events that her towns throw during the holiday season. Her boyfriend Tony and herself have been busy trying to finish up with their own holiday preparations in time to enjoy all the festivities. With all this going on Teas is still thinking about what she learned not that long ago and what exactly she should do with that information. She has been watching the woman who she thinks might just be her sister and when she decides to sit outside her house after work one evening something horribly unexpected happens, the woman is shot on her doorstep. Tess is freaked and questions what just happened while she was watching. She knows that she will do everything she can to help solve this murder especially since she only got a glimpse of who the killer actually was. She so worried that all of it has something to do with her father and knows that she needs to discuss it with her brother. Follow along as Tess tries to work her way through all the clues that she comes across in order to find a killer. This is a great read that will have you guessing he whole way through!
Profile Image for Robin Leslie Coxon.
171 reviews52 followers
December 10, 2019
The Christmas Clause, number 8 in the Tess and Tilly Cozy Mystery Series, is from my favorite series written by Kathi Daley. Tess and her beloved dog, Tilly, witness the murder of a woman that Tess believes to be a step-sibling through her biological father. The problem is that big brother Mike, the Sheriff for White Eagle, is miffed at Tess for information she withheld from him about her contact with their father. When a second resident is killed, Mike, asks for Tess and her fiance, Tony's help in determining who and why they were killed and what an antique desk has to do it.
I love Tess since she is a strong individual who cherishes her family and especially her relationship with Tony. You should enjoy the Christmas Spirit involved and the love that the prevails.
Profile Image for RO G'ma.
1,066 reviews43 followers
November 26, 2019
The Christmas Clause is the eighth book in Kathi Daley’s Tess and Tilly Cozy Mystery series. I love all of the wonderful characters as well as the charming setting. The smooth writing style flows at a steady pace, the characters are well rounded and affable, and the storyline is well plotted and interesting. Ms. Daley has provided readers with a clean, fun read, with caring and compassionate characters, an intriguing mystery, and adorable fur babies. I highly recommend this book to those who enjoy reading well-crafted cozy mysteries.

Tess Thomas delivers mail for the USPS along with her dog, Tilly, who accompanies her on her route in the small community of White Eagle, Montana. Her mom co-owns a café, Sisters’ Diner, with her aunt. She has one brother, Mike, who’s a member of the White Eagle Police and who recently married one of her best friends and bookstore owner, Bree Price. Tess is seriously dating her other best friend, Tony Marconi, a computer genius. Tess recently met Star Moonwalker, the owner of an antique store and who has been searching for her birth parents, and from things Star shared with Tess, she begins to suspect Star might be her half-sister, who she didn’t know existed. Tess shares this information with Tony, but no one else. She begins watching Star and digging into her past, and when the woman is murdered, she’s forced to tell Mike everything. When the event planner for the town’s Christmas on Main event suddenly resigns, Tess’s mom finds herself in charge of everything. The town’s Christmas celebration always kicks off with a holiday parade, so when Colton Davenport, the man who portrays Santa in the parade, is late, Tess’s mom is in a panic. Tony and Tess offer to look for Colton, and when they find him lying unresponsive on the floor near his front door, Tess calls Mike, and Tony agrees to take Colton’s place in the parade.

Profile Image for JoAn.
2,551 reviews1 follower
September 12, 2020
The Christmas Clause by Kathi Daley was a short easy read but the mystery was definitely complex. These characters are so well developed now I'm just having fun to joining them on their investigations. On to the next one in the series.
Profile Image for Mary Brown.
1,300 reviews75 followers
December 11, 2019
The Christmas Clause
A Tess and Tillie Cozy Mystery, Book #8
Kathi Daley
5 Stars

Synopsis:

If you love small towns, endearing relationships, food, animals, and a touch of murder, you will love this cozy mystery series.

With just two weeks until the highly anticipated Christmas on Main event, the tiny town of White Eagle Montana is all decked out for the season. With the annual tree lighting just around the corner, Tess and Tony are busy with their own holiday preparations, until someone close to Tess is shot and killed in front of her own home.

Tess jumps in to help Mike track down the killer, believing the gunman to have been connected to the mystery surrounding her own father’s disappearance. Her theory seems plausible, and even probable, until Santa is found dead an hour before the annual Santa parade, messing up Tess’s theory and complicating things even further. (Amazon)

Review:

The characters are well developed and well rounded. Tess and Tony make a great couple and work really well together. Their friends and family add a lot to the story and all of the animals are adorable.

The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and through much of the book I felt like I was right there, watching all of the action taking place. The writing style flows smoothly and the book is a quick easy read. The mystery was well plotted and as usual, there is more to the mystery than you would first expect.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. The fact that this book is set at Christmas time is an added bonus.




Profile Image for Jacqueline.
704 reviews11 followers
January 23, 2020
I really like this author, but this particuler novel didn't quite live up to her other works. This is just an opinion, and based on my personal taste only, Do give Kathi Daley's other works a try.
Profile Image for Kathleen.
1,209 reviews64 followers
December 10, 2019
The Christmas Clause earn 5/5 Antique Desks...Engaging Fun!

Nail-biting Kathi Daley style! This compelling storyline is more related to the ongoing mystery surrounding Tess’s father starting with her borderline “stalker” tactics as she sits outside the home of Star Moonwalker, a woman Tess believes might be her half-sister. Star had been searching for her birth parents, even, months earlier, hiring a private investigator. However, the PI is dead, and his files have been sent to Star. Tess can’t ignore connections with her father and fears Star might be in jeopardy. Then Tess witnesses a car drive up, a figure go to the front door, Star open the door and collapse. Shot. Dead. Although she’s unable to give a clear description of the shooter, she believes it wasn’t her father. Mike, her brother and deputy in charge, needs answers, and Tess worries telling him all that she’s learned the past two years could destroy their relationship. And the file, the file Tess remembers delivering to Star, needs to be found. The drama surrounding the Tess’s father has been trickled bits here and there, maybe this and that, and although questions still remain, the drama had several intriguing ideas from a billionaire and a secret business, an antique desk and a secret compartment. Family is always prominent in Kathi’s stories, and the “Why didn’t you tell me?” accusation adds a realistic sibling conflict that effects the once positive collaboration between Tess and her deputy brother. But, the peril, the gun play, the surprises all add to the most dramatic ending. Kathi’s writing style is always clever with a first-person narrative and descriptive language and dialogue that illustrates well the setting, characters, personalities and emotions. Loved it! It’s also the holidays with all the festivities, and with the event planner in charge of the city’s Christmas on Main festival resigning from the job, Tess’s mom and the rest of the committee are in overdrive to get things done. Secrets, murder, and Christmas in jeopardy makes this a very entertaining read!
Profile Image for Lynne Moody.
452 reviews157 followers
December 23, 2019
Love all the great characters ! So many colorful people that made me enjoy this book.The storyline was totally interesting till the very end.
Profile Image for Arow.
638 reviews2 followers
January 18, 2020
Another fun installment, my second least favourite though. It dragged a bit and I guess I wanted a bit more in some areas and a but less in others. Hard to say, looking forward to the next being released soon.
Profile Image for Debra Jo Reads.
1,085 reviews58 followers
December 11, 2019
I am so glad that I found this series early on. This is definitely one that you have to start from the beginning and follow the story as told. Although each book has its own mystery, the on going mystery of Tess and Mike's dad is so thrilling. It is like a story that is ripped from an action thriller.

I want to say that this was probably my favorite to date. The individual mystery was a nod to some old school sleuths with the search for an antique desk with a hidden compartment that someone was willing to kill over. Then the family drama and ongoing issues of Tess and Mike's dad just intensified the story. The very last chapter of the book made me tear up.

Great job Kathi! I cannot wait for the next installment of this series and I am ready for an engagement and a wedding to take place soon!!
26 reviews2 followers
December 8, 2019
I haven’t read any of the previous books I. The Cozy Mysteries series but this one was free on my kindle and I wanted a Christmas themed murder mystery. Am I missing something? This book was horrible. The main character doesn’t even do anything to help solve the mystery. Literally nothing except finding the bodies. The whole book is just her perfect, rich, romantic boyfriend finding everything out on his computer and then making her food while he tells her what he found out. And her brother also doing to work on the case too. And the big climatic moment she wasn’t even there for. The author totally keeps the reader out of the climax- the most important part of any story. It was a very boring book and I didn’t care for any of the shallow characters. Seriously- what am I missing? How does this book have such good reviews?
Profile Image for Sandy Bartles.
1,395 reviews37 followers
November 27, 2019
This is a very suspenseful book and it kept me wondering what was going to happen from one page to the next. My heart is still pounding after reading the last page. I highly recommend this book!
Profile Image for Karen Ball.
49 reviews1 follower
December 5, 2019
Ok

I read to goto sleep so miss a lot. Good mystery all the way to the end.
Liked the characters and plot.
Felt like a lot of repeating information.
32 reviews
January 2, 2020
Case Closed

Really enjoyed the. Book but ending was disappointing.
Didn’t fit the story or I didn’t think so. But maybe I missed something

Profile Image for June Price.
Author 6 books82 followers
December 24, 2023
While this wasn't the relatively light-hearted Christmas read I'd been looking for, it was definitely worth the read. There's always a hint of unknown to the Tess and Tilly books and this one didn't disappoint. While the town Christmas festival got rather lost in the intrigue and murder investigations, not to mention Tess' long quest to find out the truth behind her father's disappearance, there were enough light-hearted moments to give you time to catch your breath as your heart rate slowed.

Since this is an older book of the series, I won't belabor the plot as it's surely out there. What can I say? This one has been sitting in my TBR stash for, well, a couple years. Uh, maybe four? In any case, let's just say it starts with Tess following her seemingly endless quest to discover the truth behind her family history and ends up with her witnessing a cold-blooded murder. Then, there's another murder. Are they related? And, if so, how? Why? Could both be over a missing desk with a hidden drawer or something far more nefarious? Maybe a bit of both? Tess' boyfriend Tony's super-genius computer skills and brother Mike's legal logic and connections make a formidable team.

In-between you'll get to envision Tony as Cowboy Santa. riding bareback no less. Then there's the mystery of the missing Christmas tree toppers. And, lots of food and, oh, boy, snow along the way. Having just had a good dump of snow on this afternoon of Christmas eve, my muscles ached for Tess and Tony as they cleared their driveway, deck, and more. Bottom line, though, while I won't call this a "fun" Christmas read, it was definitely interesting. Now I should probably go figure out where I really am in the series and catch up on some reading but, first, Christmas goodies!
Profile Image for Nikki.
1,475 reviews13 followers
December 29, 2021
When 2 of the townsfolk are murdered, it looks like they're linked, Tess gets involved in finding who did it. However, things don't go smoothly, especially when Mike finds out she knows more about their Dad than she's told him.

Its nearing Christmas and the town carnival is upon them, but with a massive storm coming in, will it happen?

What's going to happen when the murderer turns up at Tony's?

Easy to read cozy mysteries with romance and every day life thrown in, set in the small town of White Eagle. Underlying each story is the ongoing mystery of Tess's Father's disappearance.

These books are best read in order of publication to preserve continuity of the characters and series.

I really enjoy these books, I've read several other series by the same author as they are all as good, so if you're looking for escapism then try this author's books, they're well worth it.
Profile Image for Suzanne.
195 reviews
February 26, 2023
if you love a good cozy mystery, pets, and intriguing characters with a touch of Romance, you are going to love the Tess & Tilly series.

This is the 8th book in the series and it does not disappoint. Tess has found another clue into her dad's past when a woman, who was somehow associated with her dad, is shot right in front of Tess. Now Tess wonders if somehow she lead the killer to this woman.

As Mike, Tess and Tony are investigating this murder, the town Santa is also murdered. So now they wonder if the two murders are connected. As they dig deeper, they aren't sure if this involves her dad or if these two have another connection that got them killed.

Tess finds out a lot more about her dad's past. If her dad one of the good guys or is he a killer?

As they are dealing with this,Tess & Mike's relationship is suffering since he is mad at Tess for keeping secrets about their dad from him. Could this family drama destroy Bree and Tess' friendship?

The plot thickens and takes lots of twist and turns to catch a killer before they kill again.
543 reviews
December 19, 2024
I love cozy mysteries for middle of the night insomnia. This one has good mysteries and interesting characters. However, as I have reviewed before, I find the main character to be fun and quirky but she has a superiority complex that drives me nuts. She believes she is the only one capable of solving the mystery. With that being said, my insomnia continues so I will continue to read through the series, as the story line running through them all is interesting enough. Onward toward Book #9: The Puppy Project
13 reviews
April 16, 2020
So fun!!

I am ready to start my last book of the Tess and Tilly series and it makes me sad,but Kathy Daley has more books for me to explore!
I love these characters and they are good clean fun reads! Love the town and all the people! If you like Hallmark, this is better!
I read the By the Sea series and fell in love!
These books, from this author have kept me sane during this quarantine!
Kathi, Thank you and after this last book, I am excited to meet some new characters!!
40 reviews1 follower
April 10, 2021
Get REAL

These books are getting worse and worse! Get a new idea.... Someone is always getting shot and somebody is always getting tied up. Your Keystone cop is a real embarrassment to all, he always has to have his nosey busy body letter carrier sister come to the rescue. Princess Tess has nothing else to do and she can't even give her Postal patrons the service. Time to move on to another series this one stinks.
1,490 reviews2 followers
June 7, 2025
While I mostly like the characters and the setting, the continual repetition in the conversations and the fmc "curiosity" has turned me off for a while. I think Bree's synopsis of Tess was pretty spot on and it's time for a character overhaul. Also, the murders aren't ever really solved. They think they got the murderer, but really? The Dad search is also getting a little old. Time to take another break from the series.
Profile Image for Faith.
214 reviews
August 5, 2020
Here is another “novel” plot with lots of action.

A desk with a secret hiding place is the focus of this story as well as the annual Christmas Festival. Some really detailed questions get answered and a few more raised.

The love interest between Tony and Tess flows along but Tess and Mike have words, hard feelings and guilt. All works out but boy it sure was dicey for a while!
Profile Image for Celest.
737 reviews10 followers
November 4, 2021
Very Intriguing Mystery

This is the eighth book in the series and so far my favorite. I loved all of the intriguing mystery behind the murders and the inclusion of Tess`dads mystery. There was a lot of fun investigating and suspenseful moments for Tess, Tony and Mike. Can't wait to start the next book in the series.
595 reviews16 followers
March 5, 2023
I enjoyed this eighth in the series. Tess is watching a woman trying to figure out if she's related when a murder occurs and makes Tess wonder if this is all tied in with her father. This story has plenty of twists to keep you guessing. I loved revisiting these characters, they are all likable and make you want to be there. I will continue on with this series.
Profile Image for Julia Walker.
662 reviews18 followers
December 23, 2019

This is a solid murder mystery for the holidays!
This is a cozy murder mystery that takes place in a small town during the Christmas holidays. The main character, Tess, is the local mail deliverer. Her Mom has found herself in charge of the town’s Christmas Festival after the event planner the town hired to do it used “the Christmas clause” in her contract to back out two weeks before the event. Tess finds herself trying to help out her Mom and solve a murder at the same time.
Profile Image for Monica.
1,148 reviews
December 28, 2019
Definitely can't wait until the next installment comes out. The mystery with dad is just building and building and we sure need an answer. The mysteries with the murders kept me guessing. Tony is such a supportive character. So great that he helps Tess. Quick read because you can't put it down.
386 reviews4 followers
February 11, 2020
The Christmas clause

Oh my gosh. This author gets me every time! Tess sees her friend killed. Then another killing a blizzard unknown people -heavens. Scary. Sweet. Frightening. Tony and Mike are held captive. Then tony has to confront the killer. Will they all survive?
999 reviews3 followers
March 3, 2020
Tess and Tilly #8

Definitely enjoyed reading this book in the series. I really like how the author keeps the characters interesting. I love the characters and storylines in all of this author series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews